The Wolf of the South
by Silverwing2012
Summary: Korra is trying anything she can to come to terms with her traumatic experience. During a visit to the Southern Avatar Temple, she learns of a past Avatar that went through a similar experience. What will happen when she reaches out to him in the spirit world?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Alright, so this is my Legend of Korra/Assassin's Creed 3 crossover fic. I have mentioned doing something like this for a while now and I'm finally going through with it. Do not worry, I will update my other stories as well, I am far from done with those. I just really wanted to plug some of the AC goodness into the Avatar world. This is going to be mainly AC3 oriented, but the other Assassins will be mentioned.**_

_**I hope you enjoy!**_

The chamber of statues was silent as ever.

Korra never truly got to experience this room in the Avatar temple of the Southern Tribe. She never wanted to nor needed to when she was here and her training was always in the compound.

Going slowly, she limped among the past Avatars, staring back at their blank faces. While she was out of the wheelchair now, her body was still weak and her nightmares made it hard to sleep.

That was why she was here now. Amon, Unalaq, and Zaheer were torturing her dreams again and she didn't want to see them. Without thinking, she came to this hall. Seeing the former Avatars' blank stares actually helped. They didn't have the continuously sympathetic or judging look that she had been seeing way too frequently.

They just stared straight ahead, looking more wise and powerful than she ever could.

When she was on one of the balconies in the huge cave, one Avatar in particular made her halt in her tracks. She craned her neck to look up at him and her mouth dropped a little at the sheer size of the statue. He had to be one of the tallest Avatars there. His Water Tribe robes gave him a familiar look and his pointed hood almost covered his eyes.

"That would be Avatar Sitka."

Korra jumped and turned to see one of the Temple scribes standing nearby.

"He was one of the most influential Avatars for our tribe. He was the reason why the Southern Tribe separated from the Northern Tribe and he helped them create their Sisterhood," she explained, stepping closer to the Avatar.

Korra's eyes widened and she looked up at the statue again. "I never knew an Avatar was behind the Northern and Southern tribes. I always thought it was just something that happened."

"Yes, and he almost died while doing so. They say he disappeared during a battle while doing the Avatar state and they thought-"

Flashes of fighting back the Avatar state and the pain involved in doing so caused Korra to stiffen. "That's alright, thank you though," Korra interrupted, looking away. "I need to be alone right now, if that's okay."

"Of course," the scribe turned to leave and then paused before doing so, looking over her shoulder, "we all think you are strong, Avatar Korra. I just wanted you to know that."

Korra knew she meant well, but she didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment. She just gave the woman a weak smile and a nod before looking back up at the Avatar in front of her as she walked away.

"It almost happened to you too, huh?" she grumbled, staring up at the Avatar's face.

Avatar Sitka didn't respond; he just stared blankly ahead.

* * *

><p>Avatar Sitka never left her mind after that night.<p>

How many Avatars have gone through what she had gone through? How many had thought they would be the last Avatar to ever exist? How many had thought they had let the whole world down?

Korra had to know. She had to know if they felt the same way she did.

Aang obviously almost died in the Avatar State too, but she needed to talk to someone else. She needed to see a new face, and Avatar Sitka was the only other one she knew of. Yes, she didn't have the connection to the Avatars anymore, but if she could talk to Iroh in the spirit world, why couldn't she talk to them?

She stumbled toward the temple, trying to not make a sound in the night. She didn't want anyone knowing she was there. Her body cried out and protested with every step, but Korra knew that she needed this. She knew she was far from okay, but this could be a start to getting there.

The temple finally came into view and she stumbled inside. She opened the little hatch in the floor that led to the cave underneath. She reached the large cave and started to hobble her way toward Sitka's statue. She plopped down, breathing heavily and wincing in pain. "You better be worth it," she grumbled to the statue.

Her joints clicked and groaned as she slowly got herself into the lotus position.

She evened out her breathing and all of her pain and discomfort left as she entered the spirit world.

Her eyes opened to see a vast, familiar looking tundra. Many blue, white, and silver spirits glided by, not even looking toward her. Hundreds of spirits were floating in the lights above.

"Where are you all going?" she mumbled aloud. She stepped forward, grinning a little when she didn't feel any pain in her muscles from the movement.

One large, wolf spirit stopped next to her, fixing her with its cool, blue gaze. It was almost Naga's size and its white and silver pelt gleamed under the flashing lights in the sky. It nudged her shoulder before leaning down. Korra grinned and leapt up on its back. She missed doing this with Naga, and being with the wolf made her think about her best friend even more.

The wolf started raced forward through the snow. Korra leaned forward and clutched at the fur around its neck. "Take me to Sitka," she whispered.

She didn't know how long the wolf ran along, nor did she care. The boulders and glaciers passed by in blurs. The lights above sparkled throughout the sky, their green, blue, and pink lights caused the snow to shine.

The wolf finally slowed to a stop when the ocean came into Korra's view. Korra sat up as it started to lazily walk along. She scanned the horizon, looking for anything or anyone familiar. A large figure near the shore line caught her eye.

She hopped off of the wolf, giving it a small grin and a pat on the head. It nudged her shoulder again and started to run toward the figure, barking as it went.

Korra started to sprint after it, inwardly shouting with joy at the fact that she could do that here.

The wolf leaped forward and tackled the figure, and Korra heard a deep, soft laugh come from him. "Easy Ila."

Korra slowed down and slowly made her way toward the man. The height alone gave the man's identity away. And even in the spirit world, he wore the distinct hood she recognized from his statue.

"It has been a long time since I have seen another Avatar from my tribe," he suddenly said, ruffling the fur around the wolf's neck.

"Uh, you're the first one I've met. I'm Korra," Korra declared, stepping even closer.

"I know. I have heard a great deal about you," he replied, pulling back his hood.

Korra's eyes met eyes that were so dark blue, they looked almost black. His hair was halfway pulled back into a wolf tail, letting the rest hang down around his neck. Two, thin braids rested on the right side of his face. A thin scar ran through his left eyebrow.

"Now, may I ask why you are seeking out an Avatar that lived thousands of years before your time?" he asked with a wry grin, beckoning as he walked along the shore.

Korra bit her lip before following him. She jogged to catch up with his long stride and fell into step beside him, still trying to put what she wanted to say into words. "I was told that we might have had…a similar experience."

Sitka let out a low sigh. "And that would be?"

"Did you almost die in the Avatar state?"

The tall man stopped and stared out at the ocean. "Yes, I almost did."

"How did it happen? How have you coped with that?! I almost ended the Avatar line twice for being stupid!"

Sitka's intense gaze zeroed in on her and Korra immediately wished she didn't say anything. For once, someone wasn't looking at her with pity or sympathy when she said that and it was oddly refreshing.

His eyes were as hard as stone and his mouth had set in a firm line. "You did it to protect a new nation. You selflessly sacrificed yourself for the greater good and doing your duty. I was being stupid and getting revenge when it happened to me," he finally admitted.

Korra opened her mouth to argue, but stopped when he held up a hand. "I will gladly tell you my story, and tell you how I coped with the guilt of almost putting Raava's life in danger."

"Wait, you were still close to Raava?"

The corners of Sitka's mouth slowly turned up into a grin. "Yes, I was one of the few that were able to speak to her in choice times. Most Avatars never get that privilege."

He beckoned to her again and kept moving. Korra followed him until they stopped at a cove. Sitka picked up a rock and skipped it along the water. "To understand how I almost ended Raava's life, you have to know my whole story. I will begin when I was five…when my mother died."

* * *

><p>The shouts and yells of men could be heard all along the bank of the river.<p>

Three tiny heads peered over the edge of the large glacier, daring to get a peek at the strange people coming to the shore.

"Are those the Northern men mother spoke of?" one little voice squeaked.

One little boy with shaggy, dark brown hair narrowed his eyes toward the outsiders. More and more Northern waterbenders kept coming to their home. And he didn't like it. This was their home. Why did those men think they could just live here as if it was their own?

The little boy kept asking himself these questions as the last of the boats came to the beach.

His mama told him the various waterbending tribes of the South Pole were always that. Just tribes. There were tribes like his, which lived in a valley near the mountains, or tribes that lived on the coast. They traded with each other and the only conflicts they truly had were about how much each tribe should have.

Then, waterbenders from the North decided that their way was not right. Mama told him that those men have been coming here since she was a little girl and that the Northerners helped certain tribes fight against others, getting land of their own in the process.

Mama told him his Papa was a Northerner, but he wasn't allowed to tell anyone.

He wondered if his Papa was down there as he narrowed his eyes at the men on the bank. His Mama said that he should be at this pole still.

A tug on his sleeve caused him to look at his friend, Ukik. "Sitka, we must go before we get in trouble!"

"Yes, our mamas will kill us if they find out," Arnaq, his other friend hissed, her eyes wide.

Sitka rolled his eyes, but followed anyway.

They hurried back home and Sitka was able to show them a trick his mama taught him to get home faster. They all were waterbenders, but they still had much to learn. Sitka's mama was able to teach him how to glide over the snow and ice by using his bending, and it came in handy in times like this.

Soon enough, they were able to see the various huts and igloos of their village as they zigzagged through the bare trees of the forest in the valley.

Sitka immediately ran to his hut, waving goodbye to his friends as he went. They were supposed to be back from playing before sundown and the sun was almost completely below the horizon. Sitka opened his door as slow as he could before shutting it behind him.

Sitka loved his Mama, but that didn't mean he wasn't scared when she was so angry that she was quiet. She was squatting by the fire in the middle of their hut. The way he could tell she was angry was from how she had her lips in a thin, angry line. The stew she was bending in the pot in front of her was swirling furiously as she waited for the stones to warm up.

Sitka's mama was the prettiest woman in the world when she wasn't furious. Her face was long with pretty eyes and a warm smile and her two braids were really long, almost down to her waist.

That was when Sitka liked his Mama the best, when she was smiling.

Now, he just looked down at his little feet and hoped that she wasn't too mad.

His friends went as far as calling his mama 'Atka the she-bear' when she was angry for a good reason.

She gestured to the spot across from her at the fire. "Sit."

Sitka slowly shuffled over and sat down, drawing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. He buried his face in his knees to avoid looking at her.

"You know why I'm angry?"

"Yes."

"And how many times have I told you to not do this?"

"Many."

"Are you sorry?"

"Yes."

"Sitka, look at me."

Sitka finally raised his head and looked at his mama. Atka's eyes stared at him like hardened flint for a few moments before she finally let out a long sigh. "Child, remember that I make rules for reasons. There are people and things out there that will not hesitate to hurt a little pup like you. Do not take chances with your life."

She stopped bending the stew and pointed at him. "I am going to let you off this time, Sitka, and that is because I am in a good mood."

Tui and La must have been overly watchful over Sitka that day.

"Now, go get cleaned up."

Sitka nodded and walked out the door, skipping toward the river. He liked his home the best because they were not that far from the river. All he had to do was run about 60 feet and he was there.

He immediately knew something was wrong when he made it to the bank of the river. It was quiet. None of the animals that were out and about during the summer were anywhere to be seen and even the river seemed to be silent.

A heavy crunch in the snow was his only warning as big hands grabbed the collar of his coat and threw him down. The breath was knocked out of Sitka's lungs as he fell to the ground and he couldn't even call out for help.

The big hands grabbed him again and pinned up against the nearest tree. Sitka finally opened his eyes and they widened at what he saw. A Northern man was holding him up by the collar of his coat and sneering at him. A man in a green coat and heavy boots crossed his arms with a grim look. A man in red robes was looking around nearby and another man in yellow and orange robes was rolling his eyes with a yawn.

"Tell us where your elder's are, and we'll let you go," the man holding him ordered, giving him a fake smile.

Sitka remembered the two main rules his mama always gave him. Never talk to strangers and never reveal anything about your tribe. His little heart was threatening to fly out of his chest as the man's grip on his collar tightened in warning. But there was only one thing he could do.

Instead of answering, Sitka spat at the man's face. The big glob of saliva landed in the man's dark beard.

His lips instantly turned down into a frown as he bent it away. "Now, that wasn't very nice."

"Sitka?"

Sitka looked to the side and he never was so happy to see his mama.

Atka stood just outside their hut and she was looking down the hill furiously at them. The man was barely able to block her first attack.

Sitka was dropped in an unceremonious heap and he quickly started to scramble up the hill toward his mama.

"Get the brat!"

"Stop her!"

Atka and the northern man were now furiously throwing spikes of ice and water toward each other. Sitka yelped when the ground underneath him started to move. He looked and saw the man wearing green robes standing in a strange stance.

The snow on top of the ground suddenly turned to water and wrapped around him. Sitka shouted in shock as he was tossed up the hill before the ground moved more.

Sitka landed next to his mother, staring up at her in reverence and fear as she skillfully moved into the octopus stance. She was defending off blocks of earth, spikes of ice, and fire. The yellow robed man was nowhere to be seen.

"Sitka, little cub, you must warn the others. Go!"

Sitka opened his mouth to argue. Even he knew that his mama was outnumbered.

"Go!"

Sitka quickly scrambled to his feet and started to swiftly glide over the ice.

"I love you!" she shouted.

Sitka tried to hold back tears as he made his way toward the Chief's hut.

* * *

><p>"What happened?" Korra quietly asked.<p>

The two Avatars had settled on top of a large boulder next to the sea. The celestial water would occasionally splash up onto them, but neither moved.

"She did not survive…neither did half of the village. The firebender set all of the huts on fire and the waterbender and earthbender destroyed everything else. That was the last time I saw her alive and I was proud to call her my mother." Sitka looked up at the sky with a sad smile. "I tried to not be bitter after her death, I knew she wouldn't have wanted me to."

"Did she know you were the Avatar?"

Sitka shook his head. "No, I did not know I was the Avatar until I was sixteen years old. It was a good thing those men did not know, either. They killed the Avatar before me."

Korra's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"

"Those men were members of an ancient group called the Niyama. They wanted to create a world where everyone was under their control. The Avatar was the representation of the exact opposite, which is freedom and peace. The Niyama wanted peace as well, but with no freedom," Sitka explained. "My father was one of the leaders of that group and that was why my mother refused to be with him. To everyone else, he was one of the best generals the Northern Tribe had and he helped my tribe win many battles. The North took our land by the coast as repayment. My mother and father fought side by side during that conflict."

"So when your dad wasn't being a general he was a leader of a group that wanted to take over the world? Where have I heard that before?" Korra clarified bitterly, thinking of Unalaq.

Sitka patted her on the shoulder before taking a deep breath. "That is one of the trials of being the Avatar, even the ones closest to you will be capable of using you to make their goals a reality. My father traveled to the Southern Air Temple shortly after my mother left him and he and his group attacked Avatar Malai. She was too old to fight and she told me she sacrificed herself so that the next Avatar could be born and help stop them."

"How can someone stop a group like that alone?! The Red Lotus are still out there and I don't have a chance alone!"

"I wasn't alone when I stopped them."

Korra stared at him in shock. He had to deal with something she has to deal with. Maybe, just maybe, he could help. "Who helped you?"

"A group that had fought against the Niyama for thousands of years before my time. They were called the Heiwa and they were my greatest allies in my fight against the Northern Tribe and the Niyama."

"How did they help?"

Instead of answering right away, he looked out toward the ocean again and continued, "There had been grumblings about the North having too much power as I grew up after that. We rebuilt our village and for the most part we lived in peace, but I could not accept the fact that what happened will not happen again."

He sighed heavily and looked at her. "I was fourteen when I found out about the Heiwa, and I was determined to join them."

* * *

><p><em>"<em>_We must protect our village! Not just stand by and watch the North take over!"_

_"There is a man that can help you, my boy. Follow the river. You will find a shack near the top of the falls."_

The chief's words were still echoing in Sitka's ears as he hitched his pack up higher on his shoulders. The fourteen year old boy pulled his hood down more and continued up the river. The surge of the water gliding beneath his makeshift ice-board was as thrilling as ever, but the thrill almost covered up the grim feeling inside of him.

After his mother's death, Sitka was determined to become the best warrior he could be. Even after learning everything from his village's masters, he needed to learn more. He did a lot on his own, but it wasn't enough.

That was when the chief mentioned a man who used to live in the tribe, and this man was the one who trained his mother.

Sitka came to the realization that this wasn't entirely his choice as he went further up the river. After all that has happened to his village and the South, he felt that this was almost an obligation. He had to do something.

Anything.

The incline of the river was starting to make gliding against the current almost impossible so Sitka propelled himself toward the shore instead. The roar of a waterfall could be heard and Sitka knew he was close as he jogged along the shore.

Chief Akiak told him the old man lived at the field near the top of the waterfall, and Sitka could see a thin line of smoke coming from the top of the cliff. Sitka looked at the water crashing down the falls and he grinned at the challenge. He took a deep breath before sprinting toward the waterfall. Leaping up, he bent the water around him and used the massive amount of water from the falls to propel him upwards.

The masters at the village were always impressed by the sheer amount of water he could bend at a time, they usually gave his tall, broad stature the credit.

Sitka finally reached the top and he landed on the shore next to the falls. The sight before him was amazing and it caused him to let out a small gasp.

Nature was always beautiful to Sitka, and this place was one of the reasons why it was.

The waterfall he just went up was nothing compared to the water fall that was crashing down the cliff about 500 feet away from the first one. The side of the mountain loomed in front of him and curled around the two waterfalls, showing how the water eroded at the rock over time.

He turned in a circle, taking in the sight around him. The few bare trees and bushes nearby started to make him imagine what this place looked like in the summer, when things could actually grow.

Sitka finally noticed the decent sized hut near the cliff wall and he slowly loped toward it. His heart started to thud in his chest at the thought of meeting the man. His mother always spoke highly of the old waterbending master.

Master Nanuq was supposedly the best waterbender his village had ever produced and Sitka had no idea how to ask this man to train him. While Sitka was good at many things, like hunting, waterbending, and building, talking to people was never on that list. He hated talking to people and would rather not do so if he didn't have to.

He halted in front of the door and took a deep breath before raising his hand and knocking.

The door opened and a weathered, white haired man frowned at him. "What?"

"Uh, I was told you could train me."

"No."

The door abruptly shut in Sitka's face.

Irritation started to bubble in Sitka's gut. He pounded on the door and his only reply was a, "Go away!"

"I'm not leaving!"

"Fine, then stand out there."

Sitka sighed and said the only other thing he could think of that could work. "I'm Atka's son."

The door suddenly burst open and the old man stepped over the threshold, staring at Sitka's face intently. Sitka glared back, refusing to back down.

"Tui and La, you are. Get in," he grumbled, his mouth turning down into an even bigger frown.

Sitka quickly stepped in before the man could change his mind.

"Sit."

Sitka sat on the furs in front of the fire. The old master sat down across from him, crossing his legs. "Now, why did Atka's son bother with the 5 hour journey to get up here? Let me guess," he paused with a wry smirk, "You think you're the best waterbender out there and you ran out of teachers so you decided to bother an old man?"

While part of it was true, Sitka refused to let this old man ridicule him. "I do not think I am the best, but I want to be. I have to be in order to protect the village and stop what's happening."

"So you came to old crazy Nanuq to learn. And, by the spirits, what is happening?"

"The North is trying to take over the South, someone has to stop it."

Master Nanuq waved a dismissive hand. "That's the Avatar's job."

"But the Avatar hasn't been seen in over 10 years! If she can't stop it, we have to."

The teasing glint in the old man's dark eyes turned into a serious one. "What makes you think that Avatar Malai is still alive? What if the new Avatar is training in the North as we speak?"

Sitka clenched his fists. That was impossible; the Avatar would never support theft and domination. "They surely wouldn't help the North right?! They have to be above that!"

Master Nanuq shrugged. "If so, what can you do? You're a boy who knows nothing about the world."

Sitka grit his teeth. "Someone has to do it."

Master Nanuq stroked his long beard for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "Get comfortable, boy. I have a long story to tell you."

Sitka shifted his legs a little with a frown. What was the old man talking about?

"About two thousand years ago, a secret society rose up among the nations. This group called themselves the Niyama. They believed that peace can only be obtained through control and order. They started to insert themselves into every major society of the time. They soon came into leadership positions and started to plot against the Avatar. The Avatar represented a type of peace they feared and hated. So, naturally, they tried to kill the Avatar of the time, Avatar Suchin."

Sitka's eyes widened and his stomach rolled as a weird feeling of nostalgia came over him. Why did he feel like he knew this story?

"Avatar Suchin realized she would never be able to defeat this group on her own, so she recruited people and trained them to specifically fight against the Niyama. This group is known as the Heiwa." Master Nanuq coughed a little before continuing. "Avatar Suchin gave this group three rules she knew the Niyama would never be able to truly follow. They were: Never harm an innocent, use stealth at all times, and never compromise the Heiwa."

Again, Sitka felt as if he heard the words before, but he couldn't quite think of when he would have.

"The Heiwa learned a new style of fighting taught by Avatar Suchin. Her husband also contributed by teaching them how to fight without bending and by making them weapons that could easily be disguised as bracers on their arms. Avatar Suchin refused to be their leader, since she came from the Nomads, and she appointed their own. Suchin created her own ally against the Niyama, and they have been fighting to keep the peace ever since, aiding the Avatar when they can."

Master Nunuq stared straight into Sitka's eyes. "Do you understand what I'm telling you boy? I belong to the Heiwa and I have served them most of my life. Your mother knew of them as well. Did she ever tell you why she left your father?"

Sitka stiffened. His mother never truly told him much of his father. He only knew that he was a Northern general and that he was a skilled waterbender. "Why did she leave him?"

Master Nunuq sighed heavily, looking up at the ceiling. "Your father, Tulok, is the leader of the Niyama in the North and South poles."

The information seemed to suck the air right out of Sitka's lungs. How could his mother ever want to be with someone who wanted to control everyone?

It all made sense now, despite that.

"Are the Niyama behind what has been going on between the tribes here and the North?"

"If I told you that they have had a significant influence, what would you say?"

Sitka stood up and started to pace. "I would say that it is wrong and they should let the people of the world decide their own fate, no matter where it is. I want to stop it."

Master Nunuq slowly pushed himself to his feet. "Well then, boy, do you want to train to become a brother of the Heiwa and help make that a reality? Keep in mind that we must help and serve the Avatar as well. Would you be alright with working with someone from the North if the Avatar is from there?"

Sitka thought about it for a moment. Would he be willing to side with someone from the North? The Avatar was supposed to not have too much bias in all conflicts. Maybe this group could convince the Avatar to help. If the Avatar helped, Sitka's village could stay safe.

"Yes, I can. I want to join the brotherhood."

Master Nunuq grinned. "Well then, set your pack down. We start immediately."


	2. Chapter 2

Korra blinked in shock as she looked out at the sea. "Do these groups still exist?"

Sitka grinned. "The Heiwa eventually became the White Lotus. The Niyama never truly lasted past Avatar Washi. He was a few centuries past my time. He made it his personal mission to stop them for good."

Korra sighed and looked up at the sky. "So you were basically born into this secret conflict? How many Avatars were like you?"

Sitka hummed in thought as he looked up as well. "Well, there was Avatar Makya, from the Air Nomads. Then there was Avatar Garuda of the Fire Nation, my predecessor, Avatar Malai, me, and then Avatar Washi of the Earth Kingdom."

"Do you think I can talk to them sometime? I think you all dealt with something I will have to deal with soon."

"What? A secret organization focused on uprooting the power of the world into their hands and destroying the Avatar in the process? I don't think they did."

Korra arched a brow at the tall Avatar. "Was that sarcasm? I didn't pin you as a sarcastic guy."

Sitka shrugged. "I have my moments. They mostly came out around my father or people that just pissed me off."

"So," Korra continued, scooting closer to him, "what was the training like?"

The smile on Sitka's face told her all she needed to know. The rewards from training caused that smile.

"It was the hardest yet most thrilling part of my life at the time. I learned how to climb, run, and even fall swiftly and efficiently. Nunuq showed me how to fight without waterbending and he showed me many things I did not even know I could do with my bending. It broke me mentally and physically, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything."

* * *

><p>_<p>

"No no no! You must keep your stance firm if you want that technique to work!"

The sixteen year old boy grit his teeth, biting back a sharp retort as he readjusted his stance and tried the new technique again. The technique was a different version of the octopus that Nunuq called the octopus-eel. It basically focused more on attack than defense and it honestly wasn't that hard.

"Go faster boy! This technique was made for taking out your enemy quickly and without a mess and you're doing neither right now."

Sitka finally grit his teeth and threw the water as a large spike toward the cliff wall, spinning toward the old master. "I'm never good enough for you am I?!"

"Nobody is."

"It's always 'You're not talented enough Sitka,' 'You're never going to stop Niyama members with that stance Sitka,' or 'Boy, you are an idiot.' What do I have to do?!"

"You insolent-"

Nunuq's words died when a thundering crack sounded throughout the cliff top. The Master whirled around toward where Sitka threw his ice. A large crack was forming in the rock and another loud 'pop' sounded out as it grew bigger.

Sitka's heart started to race as dread and fear overcame him.

Nunuq turned toward him with a low growl. "See what you did?! I never called you an idiot like you just accused but I'm going to do that now. A seal-turtle has more brains than you! Now run!"

The cracking sounds started to come at a more rapid pace and the two waterbenders quickly made their way toward the top of the waterfall.

Sitka glanced over his shoulder to see Nunuq having trouble keeping up. The old man was barely able to lope along with his cane and the cliff was starting to fall around them. Sitka skidded in the snow and ran back toward the master, bending water from the river and the ground as he went. "Go!"

"You idiot! Keep running!"

Sitka didn't listen and got into the octopus-eel stance, slicing as many boulders as he could. The ground beneath him was starting to shake and his feet started to slip in the snow. He glanced over his shoulder to see the old man start to bend his way down the water fall. He got out of the stance and started to sprint his way toward the cliff edge.

The water had stopped flowing as more boulders blocked the river and Sitka skidded to a halt at the edge. The drop had to be about 100 feet and Sitka knew he wouldn't be able to bend enough water to soften his fall at the bottom. He turned back around to see the rest of the cliff crumble away and a huge wave of snow and rock came barreling down.

He turned toward it and got ready to bend as much snow as he could away. I might be able to glide with the snow on its way down, but it will be risky.

Sitka never got to put his plan into action because a particularly large rock managed to smash into his head. He fell to the ground and his vision started to become blurry as the wave got closer and closer. A faint ringing settled in his ears and he tried to shake it away. No…I can't die here.

And you won't, a woman's voice said in his head.

A rush of energy suddenly came over Sitka and the pain in his head became nonexistent. The wind started to whip around him and there was a sudden shift in the air. His body started to move on its own. The way the avalanche slowly stopped seemed almost like a dream. Sitka changed his stance and he suddenly recognized the fact that he was using the various earthbending techniques Nunuq taught him to fight against.

Sitka kept bending until the avalanche was at a full stop and he felt himself jump off the edge of the remaining cliff and was surprised when he easily floated down. I'm…airbending?

As soon as his feet touched the bottom, all of the energy left him and he collapsed to his knees. Nunuq stood over him with a shocked look on his face. That last thing Sitka heard was, "You're the Avatar."

Then his world turned dark.

_

Sitka's whole body hurt when he woke up.

He knew he wasn't dead because he didn't think someone would feel like this as a spirit.

"Welcome back to the world of the living."

Sitka looked around and saw that he was in a cave. Nunuq was sitting next to him and his hands were surrounded by glowing water. Nunuq bent the water away and put his hands in his lap.

"What happened?" Sitka asked, slowly sitting up. He brought a hand to his hand and rubbed at the place he remembered the rock hitting. Everything else after that was a blur.

"You went into the Avatar State and stopped the avalanche you caused. I always thought that there was something about you that seemed different. I was planning on taking you to the other Heiwa masters to see what they thought, but it seems we don't need to now."

Sitka's eyes widened. "What?! No, I can't be the Avatar!"

"You earthbended and airbended. There's no denying it, boy."

"B-but I can't! I have my own goals! I want to protect my village and what if I can't do that and be the Avatar at the same time? I-"

"Tui and La, that's why you don't want to be the Avatar? Just because you'll have to put everyone else's well being before your goals? I didn't take you as selfish."

Nunuq's words were hit him like that rock did. Wait, if he was the Avatar…he could stop the North and the Niyama at the same time. That meant he could protect the South and help create peace between the tribes. He wouldn't just be a grunt in the background like he thought he was going to be.

"I can see that you have realized what this means for you and your silly goals. You always just wanted to help, Sitka. You just wanted to protect your tribe and innocent people, and that is what the Avatar does. Protect innocent people and keep the peace. You will have a hard journey in front of you. The Niyama want the conflict with the North and South to happen. You had the heart needed to help stop it before, but now you have the means."

Sitka clenched his fists and looked up at his master. "You wouldn't have kept training me if you didn't think I was the Avatar, right?"

Nunuq sighed. "When I still lived in the village, I had my suspicions when I saw you. So, yes. I believed you could have been the Avatar for some time now." The old man paused and settled a hand on Sitka's shoulder. "Sitka, now is not the time to worry about why I trained you or why not. I believe you're a waterbending master. You must continue your training as the Avatar now."

Sitka's spirits suddenly lifted. He loved learning, and now he got to do it tenfold as the Avatar. They lowered again as another thought crossed his mind. He didn't know if he could do this without Nunuq with him.

"Don't worry boy, I'm coming with you. I'm going to take you to Heiwa masters, so they can teach you our way of bending. I will also help you learn about the cultures of the world."

Sitka stared at the old man in shock before a small grin settled on his lips. How the old man could read his mind, he never will know.

* * *

><p>"That's one way to find out," Korra mused, flicking a pebble off of the boulder and into the water below.<p>

"Yes, I felt foolish afterwards, since I caused the avalanche out of bratty anger," Sitka admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "I tried to make it up to Nunuq after that. When we returned from my Avatar training two years later, I cleared that area and helped him build a new hut before carrying out my duties in the South. He teased me about it til the day he died."

Korra brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "So what was Avatar training like with the Heiwa?"

"It was terrifying for me to be in the middle of new cultures, but I loved that I was learning so much. Earthbending was the easiest for me. I was able to master it in almost no time at all. Firebending….didn't go as well. Airbending was a little challenging but I eventually got the hang of it."

Korra blinked in shock. Firebending was the easiest for her to master after waterbending. Then again, every Avatar was different. It took losing her bending to unlock her airbending after all.

"I know I know. How can firebending be hard? Take a deep breath and punch the air," Sitka said with a knowing grin.

"What was so hard about it?"

Sitka crossed his arms and looked out at the ocean. "I saw what fire could do when my village was destroyed. It honestly terrified me. I didn't like the idea of being in control of something I believed was so dangerous."

They both stared out at the rolling waves for many moments.

"I finally realized it can be beautiful and that it was just like the other elements after seeing a Sun Festival in the Fire Nation. Every element has its beauty, but they also have their ugly, dangerous sides we don't often think about," he said, looking up at the sky.

"I learned about all the other forms of each type of bending. Bloodbending horrified me and I made it a personal mission to make it scarce after the war. Lavabending is something that always fascinated me, but I could never learn it. Lightningbending, on the other hand just…made sense."

Korra beamed up at him. "You could lightningbend? I never could figure that out."

Sitka grinned. "I loved it. It was easy for me to sense the energy in the air and I wasn't an emotional person to begin with so I could make myself calm without trying."

"That was something I was never good at," Korra admitted sheepishly.

"You were not the first Avatar, I can guarantee that, Korra."

"So…what was going on in the Tribes while you were gone?"

Sitka looked up at the brilliant lights in the sky. "The original Southerners were growing restless with the increasing power the North had. They were getting to the point where they were fighting over the tiniest things. Which is where my father and his group came in."

* * *

><p>_<p>

Sitka looked out over the large city the Northerners had managed to build on the coast. Since he lived inland most of his life, Sitka had never known that these cities were here. It angered and fascinated him at the same time. Heiwa spies in every city had revealed that the Northern colonists that lived in those cities were just as disgruntled about the Northern Tribe as the Southern tribes were.

Nunuq had advised that Sitka keep the fact he was the Avatar a secret when he traveled in the cities and Sitka had to agree with the man. Keeping his true identity a secret would make finding the members of the Niyama easier and their extermination would be swifter because of that.

The only thing the Heiwa members knew was that the Avatar has returned and that he was on their side. Only his mentors knew he was the Avatar at the moment and it would have to stay that way for some time.

A gentle nudge to his arm caused him to glance over at his new best friend, Ila. He and Nunuq had happened upon a small wolf cub on their journey back from the coast and Sitka took pity on her.

The cub immediately took to him and Sitka never regretted helping her. The wolf now was as tall as his hip and by the size of her paws, she was only going to get bigger.

Sitka ruffled the wolf's thick silver pelt. "Let's go girl."

He glided down the slope toward the city of Tinaka. He reached the outer gate and Ila stopped beside him, panting heavily. Sitka pulled his dark blue, white fur lined hood down farther and made his way toward the gate. It was moments like this where he wished he wasn't so tall and broad. It made him too easily recognizable. Not to mention Ila wasn't the average animal people had at their side.

Then again, his hood probably didn't help. He tried to keep his allegiance to the Heiwa as discreet as possible by only wearing their insignia on his left hidden blade and on his leather belt. The black sash he wore underneath the belt whipped around as the frigid sea breeze blew through him. His robe was longer than the typical water tribe coat as well.

But, Nunuq told him that every Heiwa warrior wore something similar to this and he wasn't going to break tradition anytime soon.

He held up the flint token every person needed to get in the city and the guards gestured for him to move along. Sitka pocketed the token with a curled lip. If anyone wanted to get into any city controlled by the North, they had to have the token with the Chief's face on it to get in. Yet another way for the North to control everyone.

Sitka stayed in the various alleys and shadowed spots of the streets, hoping to be as inconspicuous as Nunuq taught him to be. Luckily, no one gave him a second glance and he was able to make it to the Heiwa hideout in the city.

"Stay here girl," he gently commanded, giving the wolf a heavy pet. Ila whined a little, but she faithfully sat next to the door. He stepped into the merchant shop and held up his bracer with the group's symbol as he reached the counter.

The merchant gestured toward the back and Sitka made his way toward it.

He stepped into the back room and the merchant was right behind him. "I take it you're the boy Nunuq sent?"

"I am."

"Well, just like us, the Niyama have men of every nationality. One of Tulok's personal followers, Ling of the Fire Nation, is hiding somewhere in the city. We do not know where he is staying exactly, but he is one of the Fire Nation's elite. He might be in upper part of the city."

The man held out a small scroll. "These are the names of the men who want to rebel against the North. There have been whispers of sabotaging the latest shipment to the army, but we are not for certain. I suggest starting there, since Ling is helping fund the Niyama forces in the Northern army. I am sorry we could not do more."

Sitka shook his head. "Do not apologize. What you have done is more than enough. Leave the rest to me."

He bowed down toward the man before making his way toward the shop door. The Avatar let out a shrill whistle before walking through the alley. Ila was by his side in no time and Sitka took a deep breath before looking at the names on the scroll. All of these men were Northern colonists…men who wanted to take his tribe's land.

Sitka quickly shook the thought out of his head. He was the Avatar, he couldn't think that way. These people were being oppressed by the North just as much as his people were. The Northern Water Tribe's presence in the South Pole had slowly become more and more controlling over the years and it has gotten to the point to where even the Northern colonists were unhappy with the way their tribe was being ruled.

And it was his duty to help stop them and make sure the South Pole became independent from the North.

On his travels around the world, Sitka was able to see how the over governments in the nations worked and how they viewed the waterbenders. Many believed that they should work together as one nation. Others believed they should be two separate nations.

Sitka was not sure how he was going to fix the problem here yet, but he knew one thing. The North and South would never work as one nation. There were too many differences between them. Even the way they bent water was different.

Perhaps the spirits could help him come to a decision. Sitka had asked many of his teachers about the voice he heard when he first went into the Avatar state. He had not heard it since them, but he knew he wasn't delirious when he heard her.

Even the Air Nomads were puzzled about it.

Sitka let his thoughts wander as he made his way toward the district the disgruntled colonists were in. His robes whipped around his legs as a large gust of wind whipped through the current alley he was in.

He was now in the district the poorer people lived in and he checked the name on the scroll one more time before stepping out into the open. One man was standing in front of his house, bending what looked to be waste water toward the back of his home.

"Excuse me," Sitka said quietly, walking toward him.

The man did a double take before flinging the water away. "Can I help you?"

"I am looking for a man named Imnek. Does he live nearby?"

The man scoffed and jerked his thumb toward a house nearby. "Yeah, he lives nearby. But don't get involved with him kid. The troops don't like him too much."

Sitka nodded his thanks and started to walk toward the house. Imnek sounded like just the man he needed.

He knocked on the door and looked around warily. Niyama spies were everywhere and he couldn't take chances before he even got started.

The door opened and a middle aged man with a high wolf tail narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him. "What do you want?"

"I heard you were someone to talk to about the troops," Sitka said lowly, hoping the man got his hint.

The man's eyes looked him up and down and he shrugged. "Come in."

He shuffled further into his home before turning toward Sitka. "Alright, do you want in or not kid? We plan on striking tonight and Imnek doesn't wait for answers," the man said immediately. He stepped over to his table and sat on the floor, gesturing to the spot across from him.

"What are you doing exactly?" Sitka asked, sitting down as well. Ila laid down next to him.

"Those bastards from the North keep sending more troops and supplies. They're trying to strengthen their hold around us. Well, we say no to that! We are becoming our own tribe and we need to strike back! If the Avatar won't help us, we have to help ourselves. Now, they just got a shipment of supplies from the Fire Nation."

Sitka nodded. "I want to help, I truly do, but I was hoping you could point me toward a man named Ling from the Fire Nation. He might be behind the supplies coming from the Fire Nation."

Imnek frowned. "What do you want with him?"

Sitka held back a sigh. "This man is conspiring with the Northern army and his intentions for the South are not honorable. I plan to stop him. With him gone, your plans will be much easier to carry out and you can focus more on the Northern troops themselves."

Imnek narrowed his eyes and gave Sitka a suspicious look. "Why do you care boy? What's your stake in all of this?"

"The North wants to destroy any who oppose them. My tribe is one of them," Sitka explained. He was still chuckling inside about the 'Avatar not wanting to help' bit from the man.

Imnek scratched his head before giving Sitka another stern look. "And how do I know that you'll stand a chance against a well-guarded firebender?"

"You don't."

The man grumbled a little before letting out a long sigh. "Alright kid, here's the plan. I know who this Ling person is. He lives in one of the houses near the docks and conducts his business there. If you follow us there and help us, we'll lead you straight to him."

Well, it was better than nothing. Destroying some supplies shouldn't take too long.

"Deal."

"Meet us at Kesuk Bridge at dawn."

* * *

><p>_-<p>

Tinaka's design mimicked the main Northern city's design. The city was bent to go with the shape of the bay it sat in and the many homes there were bent into the shape of either an igloo or a square. The way the houses were stacked on each other reminded Sitka of the toy blocks he saw in the Earth Kingdom.

Blocks upon blocks stacked on each other to save as much space as possible.

He couldn't imagine living in one of those homes. He preferred the openness of his village and the privacy of his hut. Not being stuffed into a small box.

Then again, the people living here seemed okay with it so he decided to stop thinking about it.

He stood on the bridge and watched the water run sluggishly beneath him. He leaned on the railing and waved his hand a little, speeding the flow for a moment.

"So, you actually showed up?"

Sitka looked to see Imnek walking toward him with a small group of men and women. They all held masks in their hands and their coat hoods were pulled over their heads.

"I did. What is the plan?"

"Half of us are going to take care of the guards while the others dump the supplies overboard. Which group do you want to help?"

Sitka held back an eye roll. This was going to be a bigger hassle than he thought it would be. None of these people looked like fighters. "I will help with the guards."

The group started to make their way toward the docks and Sitka had to fight the urge to use airbending to get there faster. Only using one element now was going to be harder than he thought.

They finally made it to the docks and Sitka peered from behind a corner. Five guards were standing on both sides of the ship and more were patrolling nearby. Sitka's lip curled when he saw the Niyama's insignia on some of the men's belts. The red and black cross was as sinister as ever.

"What are we going to do?! There's too many," one woman hissed.

Sitka didn't even answer. He just attacked. He sprinted from behind the corner and bent ice around the patrolling guards' ankles. Before the men could react, Sitka had them sailing into the frigid sea. He bent more ice around them to keep them there and continued onto the next group of men.

He easily deflected the spikes of ice sailing toward him and smirked a little. He slid his booted foot across the ground a little, earthbending the ground beneath the snow. The guards yelped in surprise when the moving earth caused them to stumble and Sitka ran forward.

Chi blocking was the hardest thing for Sitka to master, but it was his favorite form of fighting without the elements. It always took people by surprise and it always gave him an edge.

Soon, the other five guards were down. The others were able to deal with the rest of the guards on the far side of the ship.

Imnek jogged over to him, his eyes wide with wonder. "How did you do that?"

Sitka gestured toward the ship. "Never mind that. Let's take care of the supplies."

The young Avatar had thought long and hard about whether it should truly be his duty to take care of the Niyama members. Shouldn't he be more focused on dispelling the problems here rather than going after five men?

Taking away a form of investment for the Niyama was going to be his last duty on his Heiwa mission. He didn't care what Nunuq was going to say.

The waterbenders didn't waste time throwing anything they could into the harbor. Soon, the water was littered with various crates and pieces of cloth.

Imnek nudged Sitka's shoulder, holding out a crate for him. "We saved the last for you. We never would have gotten past those soldiers."

Sitka looked up and happened to see Ling standing a few docks away. The Fire Nation aristocrat looked enraged and the man from the North, Nartok, stood next to him looking just as angry. A cold rage suddenly filled Sitka when he remembered how his mother died. She died with many burn wounds on her skin and many pieces of ice had impaled her.

His grip on the crate tightened as he glared over at the two men.

He had been so caught up in his Avatar training that he forgot why he even started training with Nunuq in the first place.

Wasn't it to stop men like them from killing anyone else?

Sitka suddenly didn't give a flying monkeyfeather about being the Avatar.

Ling and Nartok were going to pay. He moved into the stance to airbend the crate over to Ling so it would hit him in the face, but a calm voice entered his mind.

_**You do not want to do this, Sitka. Do not give in to hate.**_

Sitka's eyes widened as an intense shiver ran down his spine. The voice, he hadn't heard it in years, but there it was. She was right, though. Her calm tone had managed to melt away the rage inside him.

No, he couldn't take care of the two weaselbats in the open like this. It would be against the brotherhood and it was not how he wanted to be the Avatar either.

Instead, Sitka marched over to the edge of the dock, looked the men in the eyes, and dropped the crate into the ocean.

* * *

><p>_<p>

Nunuq was enraged with him, as Sitka expected. The old man didn't hesitate to remind him that the Niyama members must be 'assassinated' not left alive to 'witness the actions of a brat.'

Sitka started to create his next plan as soon as he left Tinaka. Ling was still going to be there as far as he knew, but the problem was that now they knew the Heiwa were on their tails.

Unfortunately, the Niyama didn't allow him to make the next move.

A heavy knocking on Nunuq's door caused both teacher and student to look up in puzzlement. Ila didn't growl or even move. Sitka stood and opened the door, surprised to see his best friend, Ukik, standing in front of him.

"Ukik, why are you here?" he asked, stepping out of the way so his friend could step in.

"Bad news. A man from the North is attempting to take the land our village stands on for the Northern Tribe," Ukik spat. The young waterbender started to pace in the small hut.

Sitka's stomach dropped. "What is this man's name?"

"Nartok."

Sitka's blood started to boil at the mention of the man's name. "Tell me the Chief and the Elders are against this!"

"They are going to negotiate with one of Nartok's men now. It doesn't look good brother."

Nunuq barked out a laugh. "What did I tell you, boy? You must take care of them the way I taught you to, not piddle around and spare people."

Sitka growled in frustration and stepped out of the cabin, Ila followed on his heels. "Follow me Ukik, try to buy me time. I'll take care of Nartok's man."

Ukik nodded, causing his braids to bob with the action. "I'll try brother."

The two young men bent their way down the waterfall and Ila made her way down the path Sitka bent for her.

Sitka glided across the snow and eventually veered away from his friend. Knowing his tribe, they would meet at their most sacred ground for a matter such as this.

He silently apologized to the spirits for what he was about to do.

Ila easily kept up with him as he increased his speed. Sitka couldn't help but grin at her, despite the situation. He had believed that the Avatar always having an animal companion was just another tall tale about the Avatar. He was never so glad to be wrong.

He stopped at the cliff overlooking the sacred ground, narrowing his eyes as he looked down at what was happening.

Sure enough, Ling was standing in the middle, looking like he was trying to negotiate with the Elders and Chief Akiak.

"Look, the North is slowly gaining more control on this continent. Wouldn't it be wise to join a larger cause rather than fight against the inevitable? The two poles will become one and it will be for the best."

"Why do you want this land? What purpose would a firebender have for it?" one of the old women asked.

Ling smiled charismatically. Sitka felt sick from looking at the firebender's long face with that look on it. "We believe your land has a special place in it that my benefactor is interested in. Nothing more, nothing less."

Sitka's eyes widened at that. A special place in his tribe's territory? That's what the Niyama wanted?

"We do not care for that. We don't want your gold or goods," Chief Akiak replied, slowly standing up. He stepped forward and got in Ling's face. "We are not here to negotiate. We are here to tell you to leave this land. Do you think we do not remember what you and your kind did?"

Sitka was surprised any of the villagers saw the Niyama. From his investigation, only he and his mother had seen the men. The other things they did to his village were from a distance.

"Very well, I offered a peaceful way out, but you leave me no choice."

Many men suddenly stepped from the trees, surrounding the Elders.

"Are you threatening us?"

Ling's mouth turned down into a hard frown. "Yes."

Sitka pulled up his mask. He was tired of watching.

He leaped off the cliff, falling about 20 feet toward the firebender. Unfortunately, one of Ling's guards noticed and his breath was knocked out of him when a slab of ice knocked him to the ground.

Sitka quickly got to his feet and used earthbending to block the other attacks. He stood back and bent slabs from his shield toward the guards. They obviously didn't expect him to earthbend, giving him a slight edge.

Sitka glided on the snow around the remainder of his shield and propelled himself toward Ling.

The firebender got into an overly familiar stance and Sitka was barely able to dodge when a bolt of lightning hit the ground right where he was standing.

"I didn't expect a water tribe Heiwa to be an earthbender. You're kind are pathetic. At least we don't lower ourselves to blend in," Ling sneered, throwing a flame at Sitka.

Sitka didn't respond and just deflected the flame. Ling's eyes widened and Sitka could see his face pale.

"What? Stop him!"

The warriors from his tribe that came with the Elders were successfully holding the guards off, but the guards were quick to come toward Sitka instead.

Sitka bent the earth below him and let the ground swallow him up. He bent forward a few steps before propelling himself up to the surface again. Ling let out a shrill yelp when Sitka appeared behind him. Sitka hit his legs with a blast of air before leaping forward, flicking his wrist.

Sitka stilled his blade at Ling's bearded throat. "What is this place you spoke of? What does the North want with the South?" Sitka snarled, grabbing the man's collar with a shake.

Ling didn't reply. He only spat in Sitka's face.

Sitka knew he wasn't going to get any information with this method.

It was over in an instant.

Sitka quickly reached into the man's pockets and took whatever he could before airbending himself up onto the cliff again.

Instead of many questions being answered with the deed, Sitka only gained hundreds more.


End file.
